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The Amherst news-times. (Amherst, Ohio), 2015-03-19

The Amherst news-times. (Amherst, Ohio), 2015-03-19 page 1

! ) -' i : V- Issue 12, Volume 33 Society to vote on old town hall deal By Jason Hawk jhawkcivitasmedia.com An emergency vote to save the city's first town hall has been called by the Amherst Historical Society board. It will convene Tuesday, March 24 to weigh an offer by RCK Investments, which wants to donate the tiny structure at 278 Church St. rather than have it torn to the ground. The historical society would have to foot an estimated $40,000 or higher bill to have the building moved and reassembled at its Sandstone Village on Milan Avenue, said administrative assistant Donna Rumpler. RCK spokesman Chris Russo said his company aims to turn the property into an outdoor dining area and beer garden attached to a new Brew Kettle next door. He is willing to contribute toward the moving expense but not cover it entirely. In a meeting last week, the AHS board formed a committee to explore whether the non-profit historical group could afford to take the building. Members are also working to gauge its somewhat dubious historical significance. Matt Nahorn, the AHS board member who asked for the committee to be formed, provided the News-Times with a brief account of what is known about the building.Downtown founder Josiah Harris owned the structure in its early years before it was moved near the present-day site of city hall on South Lake Street. A harness shop on one time operated fill 6 QA&05 ' 13101 D By ' OF S "? WW r j: 2 0 r a -,() f j 3 O 5 r 3 Pg6. t tf fc- vV 0m 52 Bl i 1 " S: . i New bishop has Amherst roots l iriSISE 3 BrCcilcing Courtesy photo Matt Nahorn provided a history of the building at 278 Church St., showing its humble roots and modern uses. from its first floor while the second was used by the town's government. The Congregational Church Society used the building in the 1830s until the first Congregational Church, was erected in 1839. Historian F.R. Powers noted the building was used as a school until 1849. That's when a fire razed the top floor. It was repaired a year later, only to -. be engulfed again in flames. The building was further used as a school until 1856 when the first Central School was built. It continued to function as town hall until the current sandstone building was built in 1884. The Amherst fire department got its start in the building in 1876 and it also hosted Amherst Township meetings. Through the years it also served as home to the Black River Telephone Company, Trusello Shoe Repair, the Pikey Cab Service, Moebius Insurance, the Amherst News-Times, Kolenda Jewelers, and most recently as J. Taylor Salon. An AHS plaque, placed in 1994, marks See VOTE 1 5 INDEX Obituaries: 2 Editorial: 4 Bulletin Board: 6 Comics: 7 Classifieds: 9 What's your take on today's news? Go to theamherst newstlmesxom and visit us on face-book to share your thoughts. brj V J news at the3mhcrstnGwstiines.com J - Y Police Chief Joseph Kucirek shakes hands Thursday with new part-time By Jason Hawk jhawkcivitasmedia.com One full-time and two part-time Amherst police officers were sworn in Thursday with a ceremony at the North Lake Street station. "We went through a long process and trust me, we had a lot of good ODOT By Jason Hawk jhawkcivitasmedia.com Don't expect many neighborhood streets to get fresh coats of blacktop this summer. Amherst mayor David Taylor said two big road construction efforts will use the bulk of funding available for resurfacing in 2015. The first is Rt. Taylor 58 paving by the Ohio Department of Transportation from Cooper Foster Park Road to Cleveland Avenue at a cost of roughly $250,000 to Amherst Power line project to cost $2 City council approves extra $380,000 to fix electrical system By Jason Hawk jhawkcivitasmedia.com As much as $2.01 million can be spent to upgrade pom lines in central Amherst following a city council vote last Monday. Another $162,500 was approved for engineering and consultation services provided by MK Power Solutions of Findlay. Council approved both expenditures without comment and on the first reading in an 11-minute meeting, unani-rnously directing safety-service director Mark CostHow to bid and award the job to the lowest responsible bidder. Bar owner faces rape count INSIDE 7 0 JEWS- I IMES candidates," said police chief Joseph Kucirek. "The movie A Few Good Men' describes these three gentlemen." Ptl. Brian Griffin will take the full-time role, hired to fill the ranks following the departure of Sgt. Brian Brancatelli and subsequent promotion of officer Jacob fast - tracks Rt. 58 plan taxpayers. Cooper Foster itself is expected to eat up nearly the same amount of cash when a stretch of asphalt is replaced west of North Lake Street. The two proj ects will deplete squarely half the money set aside for annual road upkeep. Rather than use up the rest of the budget to fully repavejustafew streets, Taylor told city council last week that he will likely ask approval for intermittent "spot" repairs where roads are espe - . - i The job will go to the Hooper Corporation, a ftrm that asked for $1.81 million to install new 15 kV electrical distribution lines in several spots where aging power lines could cause issues. There are 19,500 circuit feet of old cables with deteriorating insulation. An underground line wffl be built along' Blossom Drive, making it far easier to . access should a problem arise. Other bidders included Vaughn Industries, Thompson Electric, and Thayer Power & GoWiunication Line Construction. The highest was submitted by US. Utility Contractor Co, which wanted $238 million for the work. Hooper's low bM is still higher than A. 7 -1 Jr. W ''' I I j I Jason Hawk Amherst News-Times officer Brian Hopkins, one of three sworn in by Mayor David Taylor. Perez in November. Griffin, 22, graduated from Norwalk St. Paul High School in 2010 and earned a bachelor degree in criminal justice in 2014 from Bowling Green State University. He previously served as a reserve officer in Norwalk and in a part-time capacity with the Huron cially bad. "We know we'll get more bang for the buck in terms of getting more streets done that way," he said. That patch work will start once the Amherst Schools recess on June 2, though the Rt. 58 work can't commence until state funds are released July 1 and engineering work is completed. Now the state says it wants to bump up even more Rt. 58 work between Cleveland Avenue south, moving it forward from 2017 to 2016. Here's the kicker: Wrestling star Todd Hastings INSIDE 8 Thursday. March 19. 2015 $1 At police. Filling part-time slots are officers Brian Hopkins and Sanders Sanchez.Hopkins, 23. graduated from Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio, in 2010 and then the wildlife management program at Hocking College. He See POLICE 1 5 ODOT wants payment for that job up front this year. Taylor said local taxpayers will have to cover 20 percent of the cost, which will likely exceed $180,000. If forced to pay up now, very little would be left for any spot repairs to smaller streets, the mayor said. When ODOT demands payment for a highway project, cities have no choice but to hand over the money, city council president John Dietrich said. Jason Hawk can be reached at 440-988-2801 or EditorHawk on Twitter. the finance committee anticipated when it first gave the electrical project a nod last May. The recent vote sets aside an additional $180,424 man council had previously set aside, plus $200,000 for contingency costs. City leaders dug into utility reserve funds for the project In a Feb. 19 fetter, energy consultant John Courtney told mayor David Taylor that a review showed electric rates wont have to be increased to cover the added expenses. Jason Hawk can be reached at 440-988-2801 or EditorHawk on Twitter. i . , ......,,.,.

! ) -' i : V- Issue 12, Volume 33 Society to vote on old town hall deal By Jason Hawk jhawkcivitasmedia.com An emergency vote to save the city's first town hall has been called by the Amherst Historical Society board. It will convene Tuesday, March 24 to weigh an offer by RCK Investments, which wants to donate the tiny structure at 278 Church St. rather than have it torn to the ground. The historical society would have to foot an estimated $40,000 or higher bill to have the building moved and reassembled at its Sandstone Village on Milan Avenue, said administrative assistant Donna Rumpler. RCK spokesman Chris Russo said his company aims to turn the property into an outdoor dining area and beer garden attached to a new Brew Kettle next door. He is willing to contribute toward the moving expense but not cover it entirely. In a meeting last week, the AHS board formed a committee to explore whether the non-profit historical group could afford to take the building. Members are also working to gauge its somewhat dubious historical significance. Matt Nahorn, the AHS board member who asked for the committee to be formed, provided the News-Times with a brief account of what is known about the building.Downtown founder Josiah Harris owned the structure in its early years before it was moved near the present-day site of city hall on South Lake Street. A harness shop on one time operated fill 6 QA&05 ' 13101 D By ' OF S "? WW r j: 2 0 r a -,() f j 3 O 5 r 3 Pg6. t tf fc- vV 0m 52 Bl i 1 " S: . i New bishop has Amherst roots l iriSISE 3 BrCcilcing Courtesy photo Matt Nahorn provided a history of the building at 278 Church St., showing its humble roots and modern uses. from its first floor while the second was used by the town's government. The Congregational Church Society used the building in the 1830s until the first Congregational Church, was erected in 1839. Historian F.R. Powers noted the building was used as a school until 1849. That's when a fire razed the top floor. It was repaired a year later, only to -. be engulfed again in flames. The building was further used as a school until 1856 when the first Central School was built. It continued to function as town hall until the current sandstone building was built in 1884. The Amherst fire department got its start in the building in 1876 and it also hosted Amherst Township meetings. Through the years it also served as home to the Black River Telephone Company, Trusello Shoe Repair, the Pikey Cab Service, Moebius Insurance, the Amherst News-Times, Kolenda Jewelers, and most recently as J. Taylor Salon. An AHS plaque, placed in 1994, marks See VOTE 1 5 INDEX Obituaries: 2 Editorial: 4 Bulletin Board: 6 Comics: 7 Classifieds: 9 What's your take on today's news? Go to theamherst newstlmesxom and visit us on face-book to share your thoughts. brj V J news at the3mhcrstnGwstiines.com J - Y Police Chief Joseph Kucirek shakes hands Thursday with new part-time By Jason Hawk jhawkcivitasmedia.com One full-time and two part-time Amherst police officers were sworn in Thursday with a ceremony at the North Lake Street station. "We went through a long process and trust me, we had a lot of good ODOT By Jason Hawk jhawkcivitasmedia.com Don't expect many neighborhood streets to get fresh coats of blacktop this summer. Amherst mayor David Taylor said two big road construction efforts will use the bulk of funding available for resurfacing in 2015. The first is Rt. Taylor 58 paving by the Ohio Department of Transportation from Cooper Foster Park Road to Cleveland Avenue at a cost of roughly $250,000 to Amherst Power line project to cost $2 City council approves extra $380,000 to fix electrical system By Jason Hawk jhawkcivitasmedia.com As much as $2.01 million can be spent to upgrade pom lines in central Amherst following a city council vote last Monday. Another $162,500 was approved for engineering and consultation services provided by MK Power Solutions of Findlay. Council approved both expenditures without comment and on the first reading in an 11-minute meeting, unani-rnously directing safety-service director Mark CostHow to bid and award the job to the lowest responsible bidder. Bar owner faces rape count INSIDE 7 0 JEWS- I IMES candidates," said police chief Joseph Kucirek. "The movie A Few Good Men' describes these three gentlemen." Ptl. Brian Griffin will take the full-time role, hired to fill the ranks following the departure of Sgt. Brian Brancatelli and subsequent promotion of officer Jacob fast - tracks Rt. 58 plan taxpayers. Cooper Foster itself is expected to eat up nearly the same amount of cash when a stretch of asphalt is replaced west of North Lake Street. The two proj ects will deplete squarely half the money set aside for annual road upkeep. Rather than use up the rest of the budget to fully repavejustafew streets, Taylor told city council last week that he will likely ask approval for intermittent "spot" repairs where roads are espe - . - i The job will go to the Hooper Corporation, a ftrm that asked for $1.81 million to install new 15 kV electrical distribution lines in several spots where aging power lines could cause issues. There are 19,500 circuit feet of old cables with deteriorating insulation. An underground line wffl be built along' Blossom Drive, making it far easier to . access should a problem arise. Other bidders included Vaughn Industries, Thompson Electric, and Thayer Power & GoWiunication Line Construction. The highest was submitted by US. Utility Contractor Co, which wanted $238 million for the work. Hooper's low bM is still higher than A. 7 -1 Jr. W ''' I I j I Jason Hawk Amherst News-Times officer Brian Hopkins, one of three sworn in by Mayor David Taylor. Perez in November. Griffin, 22, graduated from Norwalk St. Paul High School in 2010 and earned a bachelor degree in criminal justice in 2014 from Bowling Green State University. He previously served as a reserve officer in Norwalk and in a part-time capacity with the Huron cially bad. "We know we'll get more bang for the buck in terms of getting more streets done that way," he said. That patch work will start once the Amherst Schools recess on June 2, though the Rt. 58 work can't commence until state funds are released July 1 and engineering work is completed. Now the state says it wants to bump up even more Rt. 58 work between Cleveland Avenue south, moving it forward from 2017 to 2016. Here's the kicker: Wrestling star Todd Hastings INSIDE 8 Thursday. March 19. 2015 $1 At police. Filling part-time slots are officers Brian Hopkins and Sanders Sanchez.Hopkins, 23. graduated from Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio, in 2010 and then the wildlife management program at Hocking College. He See POLICE 1 5 ODOT wants payment for that job up front this year. Taylor said local taxpayers will have to cover 20 percent of the cost, which will likely exceed $180,000. If forced to pay up now, very little would be left for any spot repairs to smaller streets, the mayor said. When ODOT demands payment for a highway project, cities have no choice but to hand over the money, city council president John Dietrich said. Jason Hawk can be reached at 440-988-2801 or EditorHawk on Twitter. the finance committee anticipated when it first gave the electrical project a nod last May. The recent vote sets aside an additional $180,424 man council had previously set aside, plus $200,000 for contingency costs. City leaders dug into utility reserve funds for the project In a Feb. 19 fetter, energy consultant John Courtney told mayor David Taylor that a review showed electric rates wont have to be increased to cover the added expenses. Jason Hawk can be reached at 440-988-2801 or EditorHawk on Twitter. i . , ......,,.,.